Chinese Han Style Bronze Dragon Turtle

A pair of glazed polychrome ceramic figures standing robed with hair dressed in elaborate scalloped coiffures, each holding an offering and standing on a square tiered base. 447 grams total, 15.3-15.6 cm



Acquired 1970s. West Country, UK, collection.

A Han Dynasty style sinuous gilt bronze lionesque beast, modelled in a dynamic coiled posture on a circular base from which fingers of water rise in response to the animal's muscular movements, its slender body with a dense covering of scales, its long and scaly tail curled upwards and its roaring mouth ajar, revealing a row of squared teeth and a protruding tongue, its eyes bulbous and large ears pricked. 367 grams, 66 mm

Fine condition.

Acquired 1970s. West Country, UK, collection.

A ceramic horse and rider figure modelled in the round with semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing, the horse standing on a rectangular base, its stocky neck and head slightly turned to the right, ears pricked forwards, cropped mane and short, dressed tail; rider seated in saddle wearing a knee-length robe, hood and riding boots, one arm held in front of his body, the other raised above his head, detailing to his face; remains of polychrome pigmentation; the upper half of the rider's body modelled separately. 1.75 kg, 32 cm high



From the R.M.Hicks OBE private collection, UK. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.C106u29 from Oxford Authentication.

A symbol of military strength and social status, the horse was ever a potent mythological and symbolic animal in China. During the Tang Dynasty, both polo and hunting from horseback became fashionable for men and women. It was also during the Tang Dynasty period that female court attendants on horses appeared in art and in tomb sculpture. The fruits of China's relationship with the horse include three of the most important innovations in equestrian history: the horse collar, the stirrup and harnesses based on the breast strap. The failure of China's domestic horse breeding programmes forced them to artificially inflate the price of tea (the production of which was controlled by China), so that tea could be traded for horses from their neighbours.